Good morning St. Gemma's class. I hope you are all keeping well. And parents/carers, I hope you are all keeping sane! Don't forget to try and do some fun activities together as well as work. The staff in school are thinking of you all. Love Mrs Petty.

If you are self-isolating or in the event of a school closure, please see the pack below for activities for your child to do at home. The school recommends for Year One children short daily activities and reading: at least 20-30 minute blocks of learning per day, but you might want to consider more. Definitely one English and one Maths activity daily. Don't forget to practise your phonics and counting daily. The curriculum page below shows what topics are being taught.

As next week is half-term with school being closed and then reopening on 1st June after that -unless the government announces something different -this will be the last daily message and work I will be putting on.

As you will see from the Parent Letter you will receive, Year 1 will be very different from before lockdown with classes being split, layouts and timetables changed and resources severely limited to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

We will be focusing on phonics, maths, English and RE with each child remaining at their individual, isolated table during the day, except for hand washing, playtime, part of lunchtime and toilet use when they will only mix with the children within their bubble. For the same reason, I have given each child their own set of stationary which only they will handle and use.

It is very important to read this Parent Letter so you are fully aware of the new restrictions, class set-up and beginning and end of day collection routines. As I have said, it will be very different than previously. As your child is still very young and may struggle to understand and accept the changes, please talk about these at home, before they return, to manage their expectations. As teachers, we are very aware of children's mental health and be assured we will be doing our best to support them at this stressful time.

Thank you for your support and all the amazing efforts both you and your children have made over the past weeks.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Thursday 21th May

A very good morning to all! Today is the 40th day of Easter - Ascension Thursday. On this special day, Jesus went back to his Father in Heaven. What can you find out about what the bible says? In your book, draw or create a picture using different materials to show what you think this looked like and retell the story under your picture.

As you will see in the video, this weeks challenge is to share story with someone. This could mean your Bible story or a favourite fiction story. It cold mean a student reading a story to a group of younger students, or recording a story for some younger relatives. It could be relaying a Bible story in a really creative way through art, drama or a storyboard. Feel free to get creative with this one! Any entries need to be sent in by Thursday to feature on the 'Friday Night Live' live stream.

Don't forget to post your great work on the homework site (homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk). Thank you to all of those who have posted work and photographs there already.

We are now on Day 4, Week 6 of your lesson pack (Learning at Home Packs). Remember, you don't have to print these out, just write your work straight into your book.

Have a great day. Remember to be kind to each other, stay safe in the sunshine and continue to do the best you can.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore.

Wednesday 20th May

A very sunny good Wednesday morning to all!

It is World Bee Day today. As beekeepers, my husband and I are very excited about this. Have a look around while you are outside today. How many different types of bees can you see? There are more than 200 different kinds in this country! What flowers are they feeding on? How are they the same? And different? Perhaps you could draw some of the different ones you see and post your pictures and "bee" discoveries on the homework site (homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk).

For an energetic start to your day, why not have a go at Joe Wicks' 9am exercise class (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAxW1XT0iEJo0TYlRfn6rYQ). He is still full of energy and seems to have recovered from his recent arm injury and hospital stay. You could even try his exercises outdoors today, in the sunshine, if you can!

We are now on Day 3, Week 6 of your lesson pack (Learning at Home Packs). Remember, you don't have to print these out, just write your work straight into your book.

Myleene Klass has some great fun, music lessons at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQh2wgJ5tOrixYBn6jFXsXQ with lots of movement and dance. Each lesson only lasts about 6 minutes, so easy for fitting in with anything else you may be doing! Brothers, sisters and adults could join in too!

Keep posting the great work you have been doing. I love looking at and replying to your photographs and work on the homework emails (homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk). I would love to see any photographs of growing plants/seeds that you may have planted during lockdown.

Have a great day. Remember to be kind to each other, stay safe in the sunshine and continue to do the best you can.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore.

Tuesday 19th May

Good morning St Gemma's class!

We are now on Day 2, Week 6 of your lesson pack (Learning at Home Packs). Remember, you don't have to print these out, just write your work straight into your book.

Have you managed to complete any of the fruit and vegetables challenges from yesterday yet? Keep posting the great work you have been doing. I love looking at and replying to your photographs and work on the homework emails (homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk). I would love to see any photographs of growing plants/seeds that you may have planted during lockdown.

Have a great day. Remember to be kind to each other and stay safe.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore.

Monday 18th May

A sunny and warmer good morning, St Gemma's class!

Another new week begins. Keep on with the great work you have been doing. I have really enjoyed looking at and replying to your photographs and work on the homework emails (homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk).

We are now on Day 1, Week 6 of your lesson pack (Learning at Home Packs). Remember, you don't have to print these out, just write your work straight into your book.

With all this lovely sunshine plants are growing magnificently all around us. At home this week, investigate some of the different fruit and vegetables you know and love. Here are some videos and ideas to get you investigating.

Activity: fruit/seeds investigation: Do all fruits contain the same amount of seeds? Which fruit has the biggest seed? Which fruit has the smallest seed? Are all seeds the same? Which is the biggest seed you can find? Where are the seeds in a strawberry? Where are the seeds on a banana?

Try to get outside in the sunshine today, but remember to stay safe wherever and whatever you choose to do.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Friday 15th May

A lovely sunny good morning, St Gemma's class.

Another week has passed already. I hope you all enjoyed Miss Wood's message and photo yesterday.

We are now on Day 5, Week 5 of your lesson pack (Learning at Home Packs). Remember, you don't have to print these out, just write your work straight into your book.

I know that this enduring lockdown is a very difficult and stressful time, so do what you can at the times that fit in best with your family life.

Don't forget to play - I loved the photographs of your LEGO building!

Try to get outside in the sunshine today, even if it is only in your garden or on on a balcony, but remember to stay safe.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Thursday 14th May

A sunny but chilly good morning, St Gemma's class.

Today we have a message from Miss Wood for you all.

"Hello St. Gemma’s Class. I am really missing you all. I hope you are all staying safe but are finding time to have fun too. I would love to know what you have all been up to. If you have photographs of any drawings or work that you would like to show me I am sure Mrs Petty or Mrs Moore will pass them on to me. I hope to see you all soon. Stay safe! Miss Wood.”

Remember, be kind to your parents and patient with your siblings, who are trying very hard to help you! They are finding it just as hard being in lockdown as you are.

Don't forget to play today:)

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Wednesday 6th May

A beautiful sunny morning to all!

Thank you to all who filled in the work survey. We are looking at the results and how better we can support you in these lockdown times.

As ever, you and your child are free to choose what to do and when to do it, fitting in with what is best for you and your family at this stressful time. For maths and English we are on Day 3, Week 4 of your lesson pack (Learning at Home Packs). Just write the work directly into your book, rather than printing it out, if this is easier for you.

Keep reading to and with each other. Even if you having a bad day and struggling to do any work, reading is still the best thing that you can do together and is the easiest thing be fitted in at any point in the day. As we say in St. Gemma's class - just do your best. Anything is better than nothing.

Finally, be kind and patient with each other, as best you can. Try to get outside in the sunshine, even if it is only in your garden or on on a balcony. Stay safe.

I know some of you have been doing so much work that you need a new book - please feel free to call into school to pick up a new book if you need one.

Just a reminder that:

Myleene Klass has some great fun, music lessons at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQh2wgJ5tOrixYBn6jFXsXQ with lots of movement and dance. Each lesson only lasts about 6 minutes, so easy for fitting in with anything else you may be doing! Brothers, sisters and adults could join in too!

Myleene Klass has some great fun, music lessons at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQh2wgJ5tOrixYBn6jFXsXQ with lots of movement and dance. Each lesson only lasts about 6 minutes, so easy for fitting in with anything else you may be doing! Brothers, sisters and adults could join in too!

Don't forget that David Walliams is still reading extracts from his books every day on

As ever, remember to post your work on homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk - and any other great things you do, including photographs. I love looking at and replying to you. At our weekly virtual meeting this morning I will be sure to tell Miss Jordan and the other staff about your great work!

As ever, remember to be kind and patient with each other.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Wednesday 29th April.

Congratulations to Benjamin and Ryan on the birth of your new baby sister this morning. Hoping you'll all be together very soon. Can't wait to see her when we are all back in school.

Mrs Petty

Wednesday 29th April

A not so rainy good morning today, St Gemma's class. At least the plants are loving it, which is really appropriate as this is National Gardening Week. So, a science learning task for this week - use the BBC Bitesize link (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z3g4d2p) and going outside, if possible and the rain stops, to see what you can find out about plants. Label photos or drawings of the plants you find, remembering what we learned about labels in our English lessons on "Why do elephants have big ears?" Do all plants have the same parts? What "job" does each part of the plant do? What "strange" plants can you find out about? (E.g. some plants are meat eaters!)

Remember to post your discoveries (and any other great things you do, including photographs) on homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.ukkeeping all your work so we can celebrate it in school when we return.

For maths and English we are on Day 3, Week 3 of your lesson pack (Learning at Home Packs). I know the lesson pack had a lot of pages to print out - don't worry about printing these - you can read the stories and poems online and record your work directly into your book. As before, if you want some variety, don't forget to look at today's lessons on BBC Bitesize (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z3g4d2p). Your work from these can also be written directly into your book.

Remember, be kind to your parents who are trying very hard to help you! They are finding it just as hard being indoors on a rainy day as you are. And be patient with your siblings, especially if you are all sharing a laptop/computer or your younger siblings want to join in with your work or want you to play with them. Perhaps you could be their teacher for the day and help them to do what you are doing:)

See you all soon.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore.

Tuesday 28th April

Well, it's a rainy good morning today! Even my cats have come inside to hide from it!

Thank you again to all who have posted work on our homework site, (homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk). If any of you have done or are about to do any sports or exercise, please post your pictures on the homework site as we want to create a "Sport's Day" whole-school collage, in lieu of our normal Sports Day. It can be anything, from joining in with Joe Wick's PE lessons to a mini-olympics in your garden!

Well done to you all for keeping up with your lessons, however you may be managing it. Anything work you manage to do at home is worthwhile - if you can combine it with some of the fun things you would be doing at home anyway, like cooking, drawing, make-believe play, etc. then all the better. Just try to enjoy your unexpected time off at home and I am sure we will see each other before too long!

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Monday 27th April

Good morning, St Gemma's class. The sunshine appears to have taken a bit of a holiday so we shall have to make our own today!

There has been some great work on our homework site, (homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk). Well done - I know lots of you have been busy working hard but haven't got round to posting any work yet. Please do, we love to see how you are getting on.

Today we are on Day 1, Week 3 of your lesson pack (Learning at Home Packs) or, as before, if you want some variety, don't forget to look at today's lessons on BBC Bitesize (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z3g4d2p). These lessons are accompanied by video clips to help present and explain the lesson so are very useful for parents and children alike! We have been using them with the children in school with great success. There are also lots of phonics activities on this site.

Again, keep doing your best and keep being patient and kind to each other. We hope to see you all soon.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Friday 24th April

A very sunny good Friday morning, St. Gemma's class. I really enjoyed looking at your work yesterday on our homework email (homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk). Mrs Moore also updated me on her calls to you.Well done and thank you to all of you, and especially your parents, who are trying to do some work every day. Hopefully, we will soon be back together.

Today we are on Day 5, Week 2 of your lesson pack (Learning at Home Packs) or, as before, if you want some variety,, don't forget to look at today's lessons on BBC Bitesize (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z3g4d2p). These lessons are accompanied by video clips to help present and explain the lesson so are very useful for parents and children alike! We have been using them with the children in school with great success. There are also lots of phonics activities on this site.

Again, don't forget to try to get some fresh air and exercise outside if you can. Take some quiet time to notice how Spring has now truly sprung and Summer is on its way. What changes do you notice in the weather, plants and day length? How do these compare to what we learned about these things over Winter in our science lessons?

And remember to play, whether on your own, with siblings or with your whole family - this is one of the most effective ways to develop creativity! And don't worry about being bored at home. It was whilst he was bored at home, sitting under an apple tree in his garden, that Newton discovered gravity! Who knows where your mind could go as you stare absent-mindedly out your window :)

Have a great Friday and, hard though it may be in these difficult times, try to be kind to and patient with each other. The grown-ups are finding it just as hard as you are being forced to stay at home!

See you soon

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

My dog Pip enjoying a play in the garden, hunting for treats amongst the boxes!

Thursday 23rd April

Happy St George's Day! Hopefully it will be a sunny one, if the weather forecast is correct.

Today we celebrate St. George, the patron saint of England. We had started our work on our topic "Dragons, Castles and Knights" before lockdown. Remember our lesson where we learned about how St. George was a brave knight who killed a dragon and so saved the village? What else can you find out about him and his deeds? Write your own mini-book about St. George as your English task today.

I would love to see what you do today so, whatever you do, don't forget to record your work and put it on homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk for myself, your classmates and the other staff to see. You could also keep your dragon and bring it into school once we are all back together. We could even have a class dragon-flying competition!

We are on Day 4 of Week 2 of your lesson pack. (Learning at Home Packs). If you are struggling with downloading these or you prefer some variety, there are daily lessons on BBC Bitesize, https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z3g4d2pfor you to follow instead. There are also lots of phonics activities on the BBC bitesize site for you to keep practising your sounds. But remember, reading and sharing books is one of the best and most enjoyable way to keep your phonics knowledge going.

Have a fun-filled day. And be kind to your parents who are trying very hard to help you!

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Wednesday 22nd April

Happy Earth Day! This year Earth Day is all about finding out about and looking after one of our smaller but vitally important insects - the bee! So, one of your learning tasks for today is to find out all about bees and maybe even make one! The following link https://buggyandbuddy.com/15-bee-crafts-kids/has some great ideas on making a bee, using materials you probably already have in your house, or can adapt.

Remember to record what you find in your blue workbook - use pictures, labelled drawings and writing like we did when we learned about elephants and how they use their trunks in our English lessons. Don't forget to put your work on homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.ukfor us to see.

As a reminder, your child should be trying to do 30mins maths, 40mins English (20mins reading & 30mins writing) and 20mins phonics every day. As I have said before, you are the best judge of when are the appropriate times to do these so they fit in with your daily routine, so I am not giving a formal timetable, as such.

Just remember to record all you work in your book. Obviously, this is a very stressful time for all so don't worry if you can't manage this amount every day. Just do your best and keep things as fun-based as possible (for both adult and child!!).

For added variation, you and your child are free to choose which activity you do from the suggestions/links I have given.

For RE on Earth Day, just spend some time outside, stopping to quietly appreciate God's wonderful creation. What can you hear? What can you see? Feel the sun and breeze on your face. How does this all make you feel?

Well, that's the end of today's letter. A bit of a long one but I just wanted you to know that I appreciate all the efforts you are making to continue your child's education in these unusual times. Hopefully see you all soon.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Tuesday 21st April

A sunny good morning St. Gemma's class. Today is the Queen's birthday. She is now 94 years old! So, for one of your activities today, design a birthday card for her with a message inside. Like you and me, she is in lockdown at her palace and, being over 70, is spending a lot of her time indoors with Prince Philip, her husband. For your English task today, write a letter to the Queen telling her all about your days in lockdown at home. Tell her about all the things you have been doing so far, including any baking, art or "outdoor" activities and how you have been feeling about not coming to school. Don't forget to include some questions. Also, remember to use the correct spellings and punctuation.

Continue with your Learning at Home Pack. We are now on Day 2, Week 2 - use the link Learning at Home Packs to access this. If you fancy a change, try today's lessons on BBC Bitesize, using the following link https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z3g4d2p . We used this yesterday in school for maths (finding one more & one less) and the children really enjoyed the video introducing the lesson before completing the tasks (either on screen or copied into their books).

Again, don't forget to try to get some fresh air and exercise outside if you can. Hopefully we will all get back to normal again very soon.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Monday 20th April

Welcome back to virtual school after a rather strange holiday when we couldn't go out and about to make the most of the Easter sunshine! Today is Day 1 of the Week 2 lesson pack. Use this link Learning at Home Packs to access them. Also, BBC Bitesize has now started a new lesson-a-day programme, covering all aspects of the curriculum, specifically aimed at each year group. There are lots of different activities to do, a lot of them practical for the Year 1 age-group. You can access these using the following link https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z3g4d2p . The ELSA website, https://www.elsa-support.co.uk/category/free-resources/ still has some great free activities for all the family to take part in, both indoors and out. Remember to keep posting your work on homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk .

Keep trying to do some maths, English and phonics practise everyday plus some fun, practical activities, indoors and out! I am not giving a specific timetable as I feel you are the best judge of organising your time to complete different activities.

Have fun!

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Friday 3rd April

A fabulous Friday good morning to St. Gemma's class and parents/carers. Well done! You have made it to another Friday:) It's Day 5 of Week 1 of your lesson pack. (All relevant links are listed below and in the original school closure letter on this page).

Keep doing your best - I know it can be difficult at times with everything else that needs to go on in a household, in these lockdown times.

We are having a whole-staff video conference this morning to discuss all your great work and any issues/questions that parents/carers have highlighted via the homework site (on homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk).

And remember, tomorrow is the start of the Easter holidays so no lessons (unless you choose to) for the next two weeks. I will not be posting a message everyday during the holidays as we all need a rest!

See you all soon, hopefully.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Thursday 2nd April

A good Thursday morning to everyone.

I have just been looking at some of the posts on homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.ukand it is really heartwarming to see all the hard work you and your parents are putting in to make sure you are still continuing your learning. And, just as importantly, having fun creating and cooking! Keep posting! We are now on Week 1, Day 4 of your pack (Use this link Learning at Home Packs to access them).

In that vein, the ELSA website, https://www.elsa-support.co.uk/category/free-resources/has some great free activities for all the family to take part in, both indoors and out. There is an April calendar with an easily-achievable activity to do each day and a photo challenge. It would be great if you could email any photos you take to our homework site. If we get enough, we will look at putting them together for a whole-school display! Have a look, it's well worth it.

Have a creative day not forgetting to get out in the sunshine for some exercise.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Wednesday 1st April

Happy April Fool's Day! Try not to play too many tricks on your family:) It's Day 3 of your packs today for those who have managed to complete Day 1 and 2. Don't worry if you haven't, just keep trying to do the best you can. I know it can be hard at home to get things done, especially if mum or dad are also trying to work from home and you have little brothers and sisters wanting to join in.

This week, for your RE work, watch this LEGO version of the Easter Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M8Yesnt1V8and retell it in your own words in your blue book. Be sure to illustrate it using your own LEGO drawings. If you have LEGO at home, you could try making your own models. Don't forget to post them on the homework site for us all to see.

I have set up usernames and passwords for all the children in Year 1 for the Numbots site. If you want your username & password, let me know on the homework email. Once your account has been created, log in here: https://play.numbots.com/#/account/search-school.

Good luck and have a fun-filled day.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Tuesday 31st March

Good morning St. Gemma's class. Hope you all managed to access the maths and English activities Day 1 activities from the Learning at Home Packs put on the class page yesterday. Now it's time to try Day 2!!

Don't forget you can contact us on homework@stmarys-rc.leics.sch.uk. Don't forget, if you find a really interesting activity, please post it and some the work you've done on here too!

As mentioned yesterday, Mr. Mount has collated lots of different websites to help you find different activities. You can find them by clicking the the Schooling-Extra Resources tab on the left-hand side of this page. We are adding to the list all of the time so will not be posting as many sites on our class pages, in future. I will, however, be leaving all the daily updates and the "School Closure Letter" on our page so you can still easily find all the sites I have previously posted.

Enjoy the sunshine, even if only for a short walk outside.

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore.

Monday 30th March

Welcome to another week! Not so sunny, though. Mr. Mount has collated lots of the websites we have found for you onto one page on the website (labelled home Schooling-Extra Resources), to make it easier for you all to find lots of different activities.

Having four children myself, I know how hard it can be to get them to do school work whilst at home.Just do your best and, given their age, make their learning fun by involving lots of practical and physical activities. There are lots of links on the school closure letter and the school website to help with finding these.

Use this link Learning at Home Packs to find the Year 1 Learning at Home Packs that I will be using over the coming weeks for English and maths. Start with Week 1, Day 1-5 for this week, not forgetting that the following two weeks are the Easter holidays so no work required!

We can do this!!

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Friday 27th March

A foggy good morning today. Well done - we have all made it to the end of the first week!

Its a collection of the animations of the Julia Donaldson books. Great for some quiet story time! Again, retell your favourite ones in your blue book and add some illustrations and remember to keep working on your school pack and using the links in the school closure information letter below for more activities.

Be sure to take some exercise, outside if possible, and have some fun to celebrate the end of the week!

A sunny good morning to all. David Walliams is reading one of his stories on his website everyday for thirty days. It's on the following link: https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/ . Have a listen and enjoy. You could even retell your favourite ones in your blue book and add some illustrations! Keep working on your school pack and using the links in the school closure information letter if you need more inspiration or variety!

Mrs Petty & Mrs Moore

Wednesday 25th March

Good morning to everyone. Please continue to use the school pack and resources from the different websites in the letter below for your home-school work. I have deliberately not set specific tasks this week as we are all getting used to the school closure and I feel you are the best judge of what tasks will fit your own home schedule in this first week. However, timings and suggestions are set out in the school-closure letter below. I will be adding different activities to our page as time goes on.

Please date each day's work, as we do in school, and give it a title (e.g. phonics) to make it clear what you have been doing.